Patient-Reported Quality-of-Life Benefit and Symptom Improvement After Lacrimal Drainage Surgery

To evaluate postoperative quality-of-life benefits after dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) for epiphora using the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) and to investigate their association with symptomatic improvement measured by the Munk score.

This retrospective study included 61 patients who underwent DCR for epiphora. Clinical data, including demographic characteristics, operative laterality, symptom duration, preoperative and postoperative Munk scores, syringing test results, dacryocystography (DCG) findings, and surgical outcomes, were reviewed. The primary outcome was the postoperative GBI total score at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included GBI subscale scores, correlations between GBI scores and Munk score improvement, and subgroup analyses according to surgical laterality and preoperative DCG findings.

The mean patient age was 58.61±13.36 years, and 41 patients (67.2%) were female. Anatomic success was achieved in all patients, and subjective success was reported in 55 patients (90.2%). The median Munk score significantly decreased from 3 [interquartile range, 3-4] preoperatively to 0 [0-1] postoperatively ( P <0.001). At 6 months, the mean GBI total score was 39.56±27.25, and 57 patients (93.4%) showed a positive GBI score. Greater Munk score improvement was significantly correlated with higher GBI total score (rho=0.473, P <0.001). GBI scores did not differ by surgical laterality but were higher in patients with obstructive DCG findings than in those with patent findings ( P =0.034).

Lacrimal drainage surgery provided significant symptomatic relief and meaningful patient-reported quality-of-life improvement. Combining symptom-based and patient-reported outcome measures may better capture surgical benefit after lacrimal drainage surgery.